A New Life
by CrazyHorseNinja
Summary: Peace has been restored to Egypt for a while, but when a village disappears Atem and Taimat, with the help of a girl named Monitor, are thrown into another war against the kingdom. Must read Of Love and Betrayal first. AU, OC
1. Chapter 1

**A New Life**

A Yu-Gi-Oh! fic.

By CrazyHorseNinja

Taimat slowly blinked open her eyes. The sun was brightly shining and birds were chirping. The sound of the Nile roared faintly in the distance. The dragon stretched her limbs with a grunt and rolled onto her back, wings spread wide to absorb the warm rays of the sun. She lazily closed her eyes and rested. From his balcony in the palace Atem watched the black beast lay in the sun. His sunset eyes glistened with happiness. Peace was finally restored to Egypt. The young Pharaoh smiled and rested his elbows on the balcony ledge.

There were footsteps coming down the corridor. Atem lifted his head and turned around. Seto turned into Atem's room and bowed. "My apologies for intruding, my Pharaoh."

"What seems to be the problem?"

"There has been news of a drought in the southern region of the kingdom. The wells have dried up and plants refuse to grow. The people have requested to see you."

Atem nodded. "Send word to the stables to ready my horse. I will leave in two hours. First I need to consult with Taimat."

Seto bowed again and quickly left the room. Atem looked back out at Taimat. The black dragon had rolled back onto her belly and fell asleep in the midmorning heat. Her sides expanded and contracted with quick, even breaths. Atem sighed.

"Taimat!"

The dragon lifted her head when she heard her name called. She sniffed and spat out a shed tooth before looking over her shoulder at the Pharaoh. "Is there a problem in the kingdom? Something is amiss."

"That's just why I want to speak with you." Atem jumped from his balcony onto the high wall then to the ground. "The southern region has been experiencing a drought apparently and the people have requested an audience with me. I'll be leaving in an hour and I want you to come with me."

"Well, it's a good chance to get these old bones moving." Taimat stretched and yawned. She shook her head and kneaded the ground with her forepaws. "Are you going to fly or ride this time?"

"I'm riding. Dunehoof needs his exercise as much as any of us. You know how he gets when he's cooped up for a long time. And having all those foals to keep track of doesn't make it any better."

Taimat laughed. "I was hoping you would ride. My wing isn't as bad as it was but it still bothers me. Go fetch your horse. I will join you in a few minutes."

The dragon watched the young man run off to the stables. She sighed happily and flapped her wings a few times before folding them and climbing the wall. She padded through the busy streets and took in the sights, sounds, and smells of the town. People were talking about different things while children laughed and played. Parents called and venders advertised their wares. Taimat was glad to see the people finally at peace after the chaos of the war.

She approached the stables and whistled quietly. Atem came out of the barn leading his white stallion Dunehoof. The horse calmly followed his rider and lazily drooped his eyelids over his dark blue eyes.

"Come on Dunehoof," Atem said quietly. "Let's get going." He motioned for the horse to kneel, swung himself onto the animal's back, and tapped Doonhoof with his heels to signal to the horse to start walking. "Let's go Taimat."

"Okay. Let's set a good pace so we can get there before sunset. I don't like traveling through the desert in the dark. You never know what might jump out at you." Taimat walked next to Dunehoof and remained alert as they trotted over the sand.

**Remember, this is a follow-up story to Of Love and Betrayal. I promised to do this when I finished OLB, so here it is! Keep reading and comment please. ; - )**


	2. Chapter 2

**A New Life**

Atem reined in his horse and looked over the small village in astonishment. The ground was littered with bones, both human and animal, and cracks scored the earth. Buildings were in disrepair and there was no sign of life. Wind blew dust around Atem as he stared wide-eyed at the scene before him.

"The village… It… It is dead." He dismounted Dunehoof and slowly started walking. The air was stale and the stench of death hung heavy on the gentle wind. A shadow caught the Pharaoh's attention. "Taimat, I do not think we are alone."

Taimat quietly padded next to the young man and sniffed. "Well, it is not human, of that I am sure. But I do not know exactly what it is. The scent is unfamiliar to this region of the country. Though, it does seem familiar to me somehow…" The dragon thought silent for a moment. "I think it is a water monitor or something of the like."

The shadow moved again. Taimat could make out the shape of a quickly flicking tongue. There was a quiet hiss and a rather large lizard crawled from its hiding place. It tried to flee but Taimat quickly caught the reptile between her talons.

"It is a water monitor. But why is it here? This is no place for these lizards. It is too far from the Nile. Yet is seems well-fed and healthy. How did it manage to survive out here?" Taimat released the monitor and took a closer look at it. She sniffed it again and reared back with a gasp. "It's a human!"

"What?!" Atem looked from Taimat to the lizard and back. "Are you entirely sure?"

"Positive. The scent is unmistakable. That is why I didn't recognize the scent at first. The smell of human and lizard mixed and confused me. But I am positive that this lizard is a poor human child trapped in this form. In fact, I think she is the only survivor from the village." The dragon lowered her head and touched noses with the monitor. There was a moment of darkness and a young girl crouched at Taimat's feet.

The girl shook nervously and slowly stood up. "Do you know where the others are? Have you seen them?"

Atem shook his head sadly. "We have seen them, but I fear we are too late to help them. Look around. These bones are probably all that remains of your fellow villagers. I'm sorry." He placed a hand on the girl's head. "Do you know who did this to you?"

"No. I do not remember. I only know that the whole village was either killed or turned into beasts like me." She started to cry. "I saw my family murdered right in front of me! I couldn't do anything to make it stop! I couldn't help them!"

"Ssh dear," Taimat said quietly. "You are alive and that is what matters. And we can't guarantee that everyone died. I'm sure some of the others fled and that they are out there somewhere. But right now we need you to at least try and remember what happened here." The dragon lowered her belly to the ground. "Here, climb on my back and we will return to the palace. First, though, please tell us your name."

"My… My name is Monitor. That is why I was turned into a water monitor. It was because of my name. I remember my friend Apis was turned into a bull. I think he fled the village. At least, I hope he did."

"That's a start," Atem said as he mounted Dunehoof. "Let's go Taimat. We should get Monitor back to the town." He spurred the horse on and rode north with Taimat following close behind. Dust billowed after them as the sun peered over the horizon.

The sun was high when Atem, Monitor, and Taimat reached the palace. The Pharaoh returned Dunehoof to the stables and Taimat helped Monitor settle in.

"It will not be like your home, but we will try. You will be staying here until we can track down the remaining villagers and return them to their original states. Right now you need to rest and regain your strength."

Taimat bowed and left Monitor to settle in. The dragon looked to Atem and sighed quietly. "What's the plan? How are we supposed to tell the changed villagers from regular animals? And how are we going to be able to turn them _all_ back?"

"Maybe Monitor can help us," Atem suggested. "It's possible that she will be able to tell the subtle differences between her villagers and the animals of the country. They keep the distinguishing marks as animals that they have as humans. Monitor has a small amount of blue in her left eye that she had as a lizard."

Taimat nodded. "You are right. And there was something I sensed about that eye that made me wonder if it can be used to see the truth in hiding. I'm willing to bet a year's worth of rest that Monitor's eye will be able to identify the changed villagers in their animal form with just a glance."

**Let's test that theory, shall we Taimat? In the next chapter the trio set out to find Apis and turn him back to his human form.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A New Life**

"Maybe I can help." Monitor was standing in the doorway of her chamber. "My friend Apis always wore an earring in his left ear. His eyes are green as summer grass. It is impossible to mistake him for a regular bull."

Atem sighed. "But with the vast expanse of the country and the number of Apis in the wild, it may be all but impossible to find him. Monitor, it Apis fled the village, where would he go? It may help to find him."

Monitor looked quietly at her feet. "The only place Apis went outside of the village was to the old Ibex Tree by the river. There is a temple dedicated to the god Thoth in the tree's shadow. Apis and I used to take offerings there for Thoth."

It was Taimat's turn to sigh. "That old temple is a sacred place. If Apis is really there then perhaps the spell has worn off? Thoth keeps records on every living thing in Egypt. He can use the record on your friend to return him to his human form. If that is so then it would be unnecessary for me to come. I trust the two of you. I'm going to the courtyard to sunbathe." With that the dragon turned and walked down the hall.

Atem looked back at Monitor. "I have a bad feeling about this. I must know one thing first. When you were a lizard could you think like a human or were you following natural instincts to hide and flee?"

Monitor smiled slightly. "I thought to stop when Taimat released me. I thought to hide when everything was over. I thought to come into the open when I heard my name. At least, that's how it sounded to me." The girl winked. "If I could think like that then so can Apis."

"That works for me. Come on Monitor. I need to fetch Mana. She should come with us for safety. Let's make this quick." The Pharaoh led the girl through the palace and into the "Peace Chamber" where Mana sat meditating, her eyes closed and her face expressionless.

"I have been waiting for you," Mana said without opening her eyes. "You require my assistance. Very well." The young magician jumped to her feet and quickly strode to face Atem and Monitor. "There have been rumors of a girl named Monitor who had been rescued from a dead village in the south. The spirits have told me that most of the villagers were turned into animals and have scattered. I assume you came here to ask me to accompany you back to the village."

Monitor stared awestruck. "That is amazing. You knew everything without even hearing a word from either of us."

Mana laughed. "Of course. My master has taught me to understand what others are thinking just by reading the energy emanating from their bodies." She looked at Atem. "Taimat will care for Imhotep in our absence. We can go at any time."

…

Mana scanned the area around the temple and rested her gaze on a handsome gold-furred Apis bull laying on his side in the mud. "Monitor, is that your friend?"

The girl hurried over to the bull. She examined his left ear. There was a large gold loop hanging from the beast's ear. "This is him." The girl removed her hand. It was covered in blood. "Mana! Atem! He's hurt."

Mana kneeled beside the bull and looked at his neck. "He has a deep wound here. I do not recognize the shape. It is round with jagged edges. This is new for me. I'm not sure what can be done for him. I will do my best for him." She gently placed her hand over the wound and exerted a small amount of magical force to repair the torn flesh. "He should be able to stand now once he wakes up."

A few seconds later the bull's eyes fluttered open. The bright green orbs were dull and tired. He lifted his head and looked around confused. He grunted and forced himself onto his feet. He turned around and saw Monitor. The bull gently pressed his nose to the girl's cheek. Monitor sighed in relief and wrapped her arms around the bull's neck.

"Oh Apis. I am so glad you are okay. I was so worried about you." She looked to Mana. "Can you change him back?"

Mana shook her head. "I fear I do not have the power yet to return him to his own form. Taimat may be able to. Her power far outranks my own. We should get Apis back to the palace so Taimat can have a look at him." She pulled herself onto her horse and turned to face Atem. "But I am not sure if even the Goddess of Life can help him."

Atem looked forward. "We can only hope. Taimat's magic has been compromised since the war with Bakura. This will be difficult. But I don't want Monitor to worry about this. We will find a way to change him and the others back."

…

Taimat looked calmly at the bull in front of her. She closed her eyes and sighed. "I cannot change him back," she said plainly. "Try to see this from my view. My powers were drained in that last war and I used much of what I recovered changing Monitor back. I am sorry but I just can't do this. Not this time."

Monitor looked down sadly. "Oh… I was hoping at least Apis could be changed back so he could help us find the rest of the villagers. I guess my hope was in vain."

Apis nuzzled his friend with a quiet moo. Taimat chuckled. "See? Apis does not need to be changed back in order to help us. His own ways of communication are enough to get us pointed in the proper direction." The dragon looked directly into the bull's eyes. Everything was silent for several minutes before Taimat straightened up. "Apis has informed me that a young woman by the name of Crocodile had fled to the river just a few miles east of the village. We should find her and see where we can go from there."

Atem patted Monitor's shoulder comfortingly. "We'll find them and turn them back. Don't worry. There is a way, we just need to find what it is. The gods are on our side and are guiding us through our journey to help your fellow villagers."

Monitor nodded her thanks and hugged Apis's neck. "He will want to come with us but I do not want him to be in danger. Is there someone here who can take care of him until we return?"

"I will." Priest Seto bowed as he entered the room. "It is perhaps my fault that you are all involved in this. I should have gone to the village myself before calling upon you, my Pharaoh. To be sure the villagers are safe I will personally watch over them until they can be returned to their normal forms."

**The Nile River is filled with thousands of crocodiles. Will Taimat's previous theory prove true? Can Monitor's eye really see the truth that hides in different forms?**


	4. Chapter 4

**A New Life**

Taimat grunted and slid into the murky waters of the Nile. The dragon slithered through the current until she was pulled under by a massive female crocodile. Taimat grabbed the beast in her front paws and pulled her to the surface. "Monitor," Taimat shouted, "is this her?"

Monitor looked closely at the struggling beast and nodded. "That's Crocodile!"

"All right! I'm bringing her to you!" Taimat pulled Crocodile through the water and dragged her, still struggling, onto the muddy bank to rest in front of Monitor. "She is scared and mad. Otherwise she never would have attacked me. She recognizes you though."

Sure enough the scaled beast was looking at Monitor like one looks at an old friend. Monitor gently patted Crocodile's brow with a smile. "Don't worry my friend. We will get you back to normal soon."

Crocodile rumbled quietly and closed her pale blue eyes. Taimat looked over the beast with knowing eyes. "She cannot walk back, the palace is too far and her legs are not suited for such travel. I will have to carry her and fly back. This will be rather difficult if she doesn't trust me. Monitor, she needs to know that I am a friend."

The girl leaned close to Crocodile and whispered something to the reptile. Crocodile opened her eyes and turned her gaze to Taimat. The dragon gently picked up the now-calm animal in her forepaws and waited for Monitor to climb onto her back before flapping her wings and taking to the air.

…

Seto looked at Crocodile, shock evident on his face. "I cannot see how a human can be turned into such a beast. This would frighten even the bravest of warriors."

"She _is_ frightened Seto," Taimat sighed. "She attacked me. No crocodile or human would strike at me unless they were frightened or foolish." She lazily scratched her belly and curled up right where she was. "I want to rest a bit before we start to look for the next changed villager. I will not leave here until I have slept a while. Perhaps tomorrow we can resume the search." The dragon yawned and rested her chin on her forepaws.

Atem just stood quietly next to Apis and sweat-dropped. "I will never understand that dragon in a million years." He shook his head and looked at the bull beside him. "You, my friend, are lucky. You don't have to deal with such a fickle beast. She can be talking one moment, trying to kill someone the next, and start crying right after that."

Mana laughed. She was cradling the baby Imhotep in her arms. "Atem, she is a woman like Isis and myself. It is in her nature to have sudden mood changes. And a dragon must have drastic changes in order to protect herself and others. That is how the gods made us women. Although, I will admit that even Taimat's mood changes are a bit drastic, even for a dragon."

Monitor looked up from Crocodile and giggled. "I wouldn't know. I have never been around dragons in my life. This is my first experience with dragons. She doesn't seem that fickle to me but then again I am a young woman myself."

Atem sighed and whispered to Apis, "I feel sorry for you. Being surrounded by so many women and their fickle personalities makes a man lose his sanity. The last thing I ever wanted was to be around people so fickle."

"Atem! Watch your language!" Taimat laughed at the Pharaoh's expression. "Are we going to stand around and talk about how fickle women are or are you going to let me sleep?" The dragon lowered her head again and chuckled one last time. "Wake me at sunrise."

…

Atem gently shook Taimat's shoulders. "Taimat, the sun is rising now. It is time to learn where other villagers are. Come on, wake up." He continued to shake the dragon until her eyelids fluttered and she raised her head. "Come on. Monitor is waiting and Crocodile seems to have something to tell you."

Taimat yawned and stretched. "Alright, alright, I'm up, I'm up…" She looked at Crocodile and was silent for a long while. "She says Gazelle and Lioness might be heading to the palace right now. Apparently they had come several times prior to the disaster at the village. We will not have to go out to search for them."

A few minutes later a palace guard rushed in and whispered something to Atem. The Pharaoh listened and dismissed the guard before speaking. "There is a gazelle and a lioness standing just outside the palace. The guards are allowing them in so Monitor can identify them."

Just as the Pharaoh stopped speaking, the two animals bounded in and quickly nuzzled Monitor. "It's them," the girl said. "They look like they are doing well. I'm glad they came here. They lived in the house next to mine in the village and are like a brother and sister to me."

Mana smiled. "There are two less villagers to find. This is going very nicely if I do say so myself. We are making quick progress so far." She leaned over and kissed Atem's cheek. "I am sure we will find the others soon if we just keep looking. They were a small village where everyone knew each other and were all like family. They all share a bond that keeps them together and provides recognition between each other. If we keep looking they will come. Then we can try to work on turning them back."

Atem shook his head. "But we do not even know how many there are left to find. And we also do not know what forms they have taken. This will not be our easiest task but then again nothing has been easy for us since we were very young. But like you said Mana, if we keep looking they will come."

Taimat yawned and looked at Lioness for several minutes. "She says the last survivor by the name of Mamba has stayed in the village. He has been there since they fled and probably has not left yet. This should be our last trip. I just hope Mamba is really still there. I also hope we can turn everyone back. I will go find Mamba and bring him back. Monitor, come with me. If there are other mamba snakes there I want you to pick him out."

Monitor nodded. "Okay." She climbed onto Taimat's back and held tight as the dragon jumped into the air and flew off.

**Okay, so the villagers are all back together, so it's almost over right? Guess again! As the plot unfurls it will send Egypt into another scheme to kill the Pharaoh. Keep reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A New Life**

Taimat looked at the animals gathered before her. _Apis, Crocodile, Gazelle, Lioness, and Mamba. The villagers are back together._ She turned to the Priests and nodded. "The feather of Ma'at and the scrolls of Thoth, along with our combined magic, will return these villagers to their human forms." Taimat raised the items and she and the Priests chanted a spell. Darkness filled the room and when it cleared Apis and the others were human again. Monitor let out a squeal of delight and threw her arms around Apis.

"Oh Apis, I am so glad you are safe and back to your human self. You and the others are human again and we can return to rebuild our village."

Apis looked at the Pharaoh nervously. "Help me," he desperately mouthed. Taimat saw this and gently pulled Monitor off of Apis, shaking her head in embarrassment.

"This has been an amazing adventure," the dragon said to the villagers. "I am sorry we could not save the whole village but you are alive and that is what matters most. The six of you can work on restoring your village to its former glory and possibly make it better than it was before. You may stay here for a while to rest before returning to your village."

Atem nodded. "You are welcome here at any time. The palace doors are always open for you as friends of the Pharaoh."

…

Taimat moaned in her sleep. The nightmare was vivid and painful for the dragon. She opened her eyes and rolled off the bed. She stared at the ceiling for nearly an hour before she managed to calm herself.

"That nightmare… What does it mean? And what does it have to do with the Pharaoh and the village? Why did I see them? And why did I see _him_?"

She rolled onto her belly and shook her head slowly from side to side, trying to escape the clutches of the nightmare. She pulled herself to her paws and quietly padded out onto her balcony. She looked at the bright stars in the night sky.

"They're gorgeous. They remind…" She stopped her thought with a quiet growl. "Kah, I cannot face that again. I cannot face _him_ again. My past is behind me. I do not want to relive those horrible events. Once is more than enough for me."

She heard something behind her and turned around to face Seto. The Priest bowed. "I am sorry for intruding on your private moment. I couldn't help but investigate the loud noise in here."

Taimat looked at Seto. "Where is the Staff?"

"It is back in my chamber. Why? Is there something you wish to use it for?"

"No, I just had a bad dream is all." Taimat turned back to see the stars. "I was thinking about my kingdom and how it had the clearest skies of any other place I have been. The stars always glowed brightly like millions of spirits watching over the people and protecting them. I used to have faith in one star in particular. It was called the Mirage Light by my people. Some nights it would shine and others it was gone as if it had never existed. That is why it was called 'Mirage.' The star represented hope. Sometimes you knew it was there but you couldn't see it and other times you could see it without trouble."

Seto moved to stand beside the dragon. "You said you used to have faith in this star. Do you no longer have faith in it?"

"No. I have not had any faith in the Mirage Light for a very long time."

"Why not? What happened to take your faith from the star?"

Taimat sighed. "I do not wish to talk about is."

"And I do not wish to pry. Again, forgive my intrusion. I will leave you to yourself now. Good night Priestess Taimat." Seto bowed and quickly left. Taimat watched him go before looking back at the stars.

"My past has come back to haunt me." She closed her eyes and returned to bed. Sleep evaded her and thoughts raced through her mind. "I should have known this would happen. That's what I get for hiding my feelings."

…

Atem gently rocked Imhotep back and forth in his arms. "Hush now young Prince. Sleep. You must rest now. Lack of sleep makes the body and mind weary. You need strength to rule the kingdom one day. The time for you to take my place will come sooner than you think." The Pharaoh returned his sleeping child to his crib. Atem sighed quietly and stepped out onto the balcony. "The town is peaceful tonight. But I have a feeling an old force is up to no good. It cannot be Bakura. I killed him myself."

He looked out over the houses. He noticed a late-night beggar just outside the palace walls. Atem pulled himself over the balcony railing and landed on top of the wall. He walked to where the beggar was and jumped to the ground. "Here, you may need this." The Pharaoh offered the man a fairly large silk bag of gold. "There is plenty to spare. Use it wisely. Buy yourself some food and maybe stay at an inn for a few nights. Find something you can sell and set up a shop."

"Thank you my king," the beggar said. He bowed and quietly walked away toward the inn. Atem watched the man disappear into the darkness.

"Oh, wait, how am I going to get back over the wall?" He remembered there was a tree that he used to climb when he was younger. "Praise the gods the tree is still here." He scaled the tree with ease and ran along the top of the wall back to his balcony. He swung himself over the railing and walked back into the room. He stood beside the crib and watched Imhotep sleep for several minutes before returning to bed himself.

…

Taimat grumbled incoherently to herself as she entered the main hall. She wore a look of disembodied concern on her face. Her eyes were distant and seemingly focused on an invisible object. She wasn't watching her step and bashed headlong into the far wall.

"Uh, walk much Taimat?" Atem was looking at the disoriented dragon. "You do not seem like yourself this morning. Did you sleep well last night?"

Taimat looked at him like a confused dog, her eyes slightly widened and her head tilted a little to one side. She still wore the concerned expression. Atem sighed.

"I thought as much." He kneeled beside Taimat and placed a hand on her cheek. "Listen to me Taimat. Go back to your chamber and get some sleep. That's an order as your Pharaoh."

The dragon didn't move. She just stared at the Pharaoh. Her mind was in a completely different world. This worried Atem. He waved a hand in front of Taimat's face and snapped his fingers a few times. "Taimat? Earth to Taimat. Are you in there?"

The white tiger beast Mountain laughed. "It's like the Mistress always says about herself." She paused for added effect. "The lights are on, but no one's home." Mountain laughed again. "There is no need for concern my Pharaoh. The Mistress is just slightly out of it. It should not last too long. She will come to in a few minutes."

Atem sighed. "You are among the most trustworthy beasts there are. If you say Taimat is okay then I trust you. I just have never seen her like this before." He shook his head with another sigh and returned to the throne. A couple minutes later Taimat poked her head in front of Atem's face. She was extremely disoriented by that time.

"Uh, how did I…"

"… Get down here?"

"Ye-ah…"

"You walked." (Badun-chun!)

"Okay I know that, but how did I manage to be curled upside-down with my back to the wall?"

"You crashed. Is that enough?"

"Uh…" The dragon tilted her head. "Maybe I should…"

"… Go back to your chamber and sleep? Good idea!"

Taimat, who was confused but not so much that she didn't sweat-drop, padded out of the main hall and made her way back do her chamber to get some sleep.

**What does Taimat's nightmare have to do with anything? And what does she mean by **_**"him?" **_**How does her past relate to now? Wait and see.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A New Life**

Taimat woke to a loud bang. Townspeople yelled and fled from the source of the sound. Taimat looked out from her balcony and saw five hooded figures with long, shining metal tube-like weapons in their hands. Taimat recognized the weapons immediately.

"Guns! They've got guns!" The dragon leaped from the balcony and soared over the armed men to distract them. It worked. The hooded men shot at the flying beast. The shots attracted the attention of some guards who attacked the distracted men. There was one last shot and a lead bullet pierced Taimat's chest scales and buried itself in her breast.

The injured dragon landed and held a paw over the small wound. "This is nothing compared to what I can do to you," she hissed at the men. "How did you come across the designs for guns? I thought they sank into the sea with Atlantis."

One of the men answered. "The designs were given to us by a man who called himself General."

Taimat froze. She gulped loudly and drooped her ears. "I knew it," she whispered. "It _is_ him. He's come back after all these years." She shakily spread her wings and flew back to the palace. She entered the main hall and padded to Atem. Whimpering, she buried her face in the Pharaoh's chest. Atem comfortingly stroked the dragon's neck.

"What is it Taimat? Was it another nightmare?"

"He's back."

Atem stiffened with a muffled gasp. "Are you sure?"

"There is no mistaking it. It all makes sense now. Only _he_ would be able to turn an entire village into animals. Only _he_ would be able to remember the designs for such forgotten weapons." Taimat took a shaky breath. "General."

…

Mana looked at Taimat's wound. "It is just like the one Apis had. So this was the cause of the poor boy's injury?"

Taimat nodded. "Thankfully your magic destroyed any trace of lead in Apis's wound. But if the weapons are still being made then it must mean he's after me."

"Who?" Mana gasped right after. "General?" Taimat nodded silently. "But he disappeared over five thousand years ago! Are you sure it is really him?"

"I am positive. That explains how the villagers were turned into animals and the water all dried up in the village. There is no other explanation. General is after me and quite possibly Atem. This means a whole new war. This is the last thing I want. I am tired of all the death and violence of war. This is not a good thing for anyone, especially me."

Taimat sighed. "It is hopeless."

"It seems that you are afraid to face your past." Midnight Flight Opened her bright red eyes and looked at her mother. "It is inevitable. You must face General and face your past. There is no other way."

"My past is behind me!" Taimat looked away from her daughter. "I intend to leave it there!"

"Fine, but know this: Those who do not face their past are doomed to a miserable life. The last thing I want for you, Mother, is to be miserable." She set a paw on Taimat's shoulder. "Look at it this way: You lived through it once. You can live through it one more time. This is life. This is the path you chose to follow long ago. You made your choice when you chose to become Queen of Atlantis. You have followed it even though you could have easily changed your mind many times before."

…

Atem readjusted his armor for the hundredth time as he sat on Dunehoof's back and waited for Taimat to join him. He looked to the dragon. "Where do you think he is?"

Taimat shrugged. "I can only venture a guess. I think he might be somewhere in the Valley of the Kings. He always thought of himself as royalty." Taimat's armor clinked with each movement. She padded beside Atem as they made their way to the Valley. She peered over the ledge and immediately recognized the shape of General. She nodded to Atem. "He is down there with his army of lackeys."

She saw the signal to attack and grinned. She put on her helmet. The armored dragon unleashed a deafening roar and charged over the edge. She slid quickly down the cliffside and leaped at one of General's companions. The humanoid creature's tough hide was no match for Taimat's razor sharp fangs. She easily dispatched the monster and turned to face General.

"You came for me. Here I am."

General laughed, a low, wild cacophony of demonic cheers. "Foolish creature. I am not here for you. I am here to rid the world of this land's ruler."

Taimat hissed and lunged at General but was stopped by a solid fist connecting with her jaw. "Damn, that was a cheap trick! You are despicable! You can't even fight without one of your foolish lackeys to prop you up! Face me one-on-one!"

General laughed. "Very well. I accept your challenge. This is your death. I am superior to you dragon. There is no way you can ever hope to defeat me."

Taimat snarled. "We shall see, General. We shall see."

**How will this end for Taimat? Can she protect Atem from General's plan? This is one battle Taimat can't afford to lose, no matter what.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A New Life**

General's minions and the Egyptian Priests formed a ring around Taimat and her opponent. The two fighters circled the battlefield, never looking away from each other. General casually sauntered with the semblance of a smirk on his face. Taimat padded on all fours, wildly lashing her tail and snarling ferociously. There was a loud gunshot and the two lunged at each other.

They met with a roar and grappled, trying to throw the other to the ground. Taimat's powerful leg muscles allowed her to move forward, causing General to slide back. However, his sharp claws easily pierced through Taimat's scales. The two were evenly matched. Taimat hissed.

"You are weaker than I remember," the dragon taunted. "Then again, I was dying anyway, so I did not stand much of a chance against you at the time. But now I am in my prime, ready to repay you for helping ruin my life!" She roared and flung General to the ground. She went to bite his throat. General held Taimat's mouth open with his hands. The dragon's teeth cut into his tough hide and venom seeped into the wounds.

"This pain is nothing," General grunted. He slowly pushed himself to his feet and tossed Taimat to the ground. The dragon hissed and rolled back onto her paws. The opponents locked again. A massive cloud of dust rose into the air and blocked the audience's view of the fight. Grunting, roaring, hissing, and other battle sounds rang out, overshadowed by Taimat's curses.

"Worthless bastard with a molecular heart! Damned coward! Ass-kissing son of a bitch! I'd love to see the pitiful whore who brought you into this world and give her a fist in the face! If you thought I could bitch before, then you have never seen me really bitch! I'll run your ass across the desert until it is nothing but a grain of what it used to be!"

The rest was cut off when General drove a fist into Taimat's jaw. The dragon threw her head back and the two separated. Their sides were heaving and blood mixed with sweat. They glared at each other for a moment before General rushed at Taimat, ready to slash her with a blade-like arm. Taimat grinned darkly and tilted her head pack. Light glowed between her slightly opened jaws. General saw this and tried to turn back but it was too late. Taimat jerked her head forward and hurled a ball of burning venom at her opponent. The attack hit head-on. General recoiled with a yell as the toxic flames consumed his body.

He was reduced to ashes. Taimat laughed. "I told hi-…" She lurched forward. Blood gushed from a new tear in her chest and belly. "Nh, how? Khah!" The dragon's eyes rolled back and she fell with a loud grunt. There was a snap and her right horn was shattered from the fall.

Atem gasped. "Taimat!" The Pharaoh pushed through the ring of onlookers and rushed to Taimat's side. "No. Taimat. Get up. Get _up!_ Taimat!" Tears streamed down his cheeks and he cried into the fallen dragon's side.

The Priests talked worriedly amongst themselves. General's minions, without a leader, remained silent, not knowing what to do. Suddenly, there was a loud roar and the sound of beating wings. Peingk, the white drake, landed beside her friend and nuzzled Taimat's cheek with a whimper.

"Taimat, it is time to go home now. Wake up. You must get up and move onward. Please Taimat, wake up. Please."

Everyone was silent. The air was still and not a sound was heard for miles. The scene was deathly quiet. Atem had stopped crying. Not a soul dared to move.

"Mnfh…"

Everyone stiffened.

"Mnh… Hmn… Rrgh…" Taimat stirred and slowly blinked her right eye open. She blinked and took in the scene as best she could. "Mng, hruh!" She hauled herself to her paws and shook her head. The dragon rested her wing claws on the ground to support herself. She licked her lips and reached a shredded forepaw up to the stump of her horn. With a quick movement she yanked the stump out of her skull. Blood spattered the ground as Taimat dropped the stump in the sand.

"I win."

The Priests cheered at Taimat's plain statement. The dragon winced. Peingk helped her injured friend. The Priests raised their voices in a song of victory as Peingk led Taimat away from the battlefield. General's minions slowly followed the procession of celebration back to the palace.

…

"General was not the one behind this?!" Atem leaned back in his throne with a heavy sigh. "I do not believe this. Thank you for your help."

The humanoid minion bowed and quickly scurried away to join his kinsmen. The disoriented beasts had gathered in a dark corner of the main hall. The Priests were in their normal places flanking Atem's throne.

Pawsteps approached the entrance to the hall and Mountain bounded up to Atem. The tiger beast was panting heavily and her mouth was dry. "My Pharaoh, forgive me for interrupting, but it is urgent. There has been a disturbance in the north." The tiger paused and took a deep breath before she blurted out, "The dead return!" Mountain quickly turned around and bolted out of the main hall.

Atem stared after the white tiger and tried to make sense of the message. The humanoids chattered nervously and occasionally glanced at the Pharaoh. Fear was evident in their eyes and gibbering voices. An ominous aura filled the room. Mana shifted nervously.

A few minutes passed like this until Midnight Flight broke the silence by falling through the ceiling and crashing to the floor. She turned her head to look at Atem. Her red eyes were wide. "They are coming!" she rasped. The black dragon tried to roll onto her side but was too weak to do so. She went limp and looked ahead in fear.

The humanoids quickly gathered around the frightened beast and helped her to roll onto her side. Then they returned to their dark corner. By now the Priests were huddled together, nervously talking to one another. Midnight Flight whimpered and squeaked in fear and pain. A deathly chill swept through the hall, the stench of death and decay filling the room.

…

Taimat's eyes snapped open and she sat up with a gasp. Sweat drenched her upper body. She panted and shuddered with the sudden cold. She wrinkled her nose at a familiar stench. She looked around her chamber carefully.

_It is as if a rotting carcass is decaying in here._

Taimat hung her tongue out of her mouth so she wouldn't have an obstruction while she breathed. She avoided breathing through her nose so she wouldn't have to smell the awful stench of rotting flesh. The dragon slowly turned and put her hind paws on the floor. She stood up and limped out of her room. She was barely in the hallway when the floor gave way beneath her. Taimat fell through and handed on her belly on the rubble below.

She spat out a mouthful of blood before scrambling to her paws. She ignored the pain running through her body and slowly padded out of the wrecked room. She carefully looked around and found her bearings. Taimat stood in the dungeon.

_Great! _Just _great! Of all the places I could have fallen into, it had to be here!_ She shuddered. "I _hate_ the dungeon." She followed the steps up and left the dungeon. A cold chill surrounded her. "Man, and I thought the _dungeon_ was cold! It is a volcano compared to this!"

Something icy touched Taimat's shoulder. She slowly turned around and was face-to-face with a hideous rotting zombie. Taimat screamed. The high-pitched sound echoed throughout the palace. Taimat burst into the main hall only to be met by another horde of zombies. She screamed again. The zombies covered their ears and screeched in pain. A few seconds after that they all fell to dust. The scene shocked Taimat.

The Priests lay torn and bloodied on the floor. All but three were dead. They groaned in pain. Isis, Mana, and Seto struggled to their feet.

"Taimat," Isis huffed. "They… They came in and… took… the Pharaoh."

The frightened dragon rushed to support her injured friends. "Do you know where they took him? Where did they take Atem?"

"To…" Seto tried to speak but blood pooled in his throat and spilled out his mouth. Taimat sighed and settled down to let the others rest.

"Mana, is Imhotep safe?"

"Y-yes…" Mana sighed and hung her head.

Taimat left the three Priests where they were and continued out of the palace. She followed the stench of death to the Valley of the Kings. The zombies were leading a procession with Atem forced in the lead. Taimat watched in silent horror as her leader was thrown against a large stone altar. The zombies danced around in a frenzy.

_Oh no! What am I going to do? What are _they _going to do? How could I have let this happen? No! This is- This is a nightmare! Just- Just a bad dream! This cannot be happening. It isn't real! Come on! Wake up Taimat wake up! I- I have to stop this! Somehow!_

**What can Taimat do? What are the zombies planning to do with Atem? Is this reality? Or is it just a horrific figment of Taimat's imagination? Can Atem be saved? Find out!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A New Life**

Taimat shook her head to clear her mind. _No, this is real life, as much as I would not like it to be so. But I cannot do anything about reality except make it real. Atem, I am coming for you!_

Taimat spread her wings and was about to take off when a zombie clothed in Priest's robes stepped onto the altar beside the Pharaoh. It only had one eye. Taimat recognized it immediately.

_Akhenaden!_

He announced himself. "Loyal followers of Bakura, I stand before you tonight as the one to revive our fallen leader! This man brought here is our master's killer! He shall be the new body for our king Bakura!"

The zombies cheered. Taimat roared.

"No!" The dragon swooped down and dug her left horn into Akhenaden's skull. "I will never allow you to hurt Atem! He led you once! He loved and respected you Akhenaden! It was _Bakura_ who drove you to insanity! Atem killed Bakura to avenge _you!_ He is your nephew! Is this the future you want your son to have? Is this the afterlife you wanted to lead?" Tears streamed down the dragon's face. "I don't want to do this to you. This isn't right. You do not have to go through with this. Follow your honesty and know where your loyalties lie."

"I… I am sorry, Priestess Taimat, but it is too late. The moment Atem was placed upon this altar was the moment Bakura's revival began. You are too late." Akhenaden sighed and crumbled to dust. A wail rose from Taimat's chest.

"Akhenaden!" She looked to Atem. A dark aura surrounded him as he stood transfixed by the light of the full moon. "Atem?" There was no reply. "Atem!" Taimat pulled the Pharaoh into a tight embrace and tried to absorb the dark energy with the Bead around her neck. Atem spoke but the voice wasn't his. It was demonic and evil.

"You are too late. I am reborn."

Taimat gasped as a dagger was plunged into her heart. "Atem…" She held the Pharaoh tighter, thus forcing the blade deeper into her chest. "Atem, please. Don't go. Don't leave me here. There is so much I still need to tell you. There is a secret I have been hiding from everyone since before your birth. But I need you alive to hear it."

"Atem is gone, dragon. I have come back to take my rightful place as leader of this kingdom."

"No, you are _not_ Bakura. You are _Atem,_ the son of King Akhnamkamen, the previous Pharaoh. You are who you have always wanted to be. You are more than what you have become. I would do anything to get you back."

"… Kill me, Taimat…"

The dragon gasped. Atem had whispered the command from his own spirit. He whispered to her again with more urgency.

"… Kill me and I will be set free…"

Taimat closed her tear-filled eyes. "Oh, forgive me…"

She rammed her talons through Atem's chest. Blood sprayed everywhere. There was a disembodied yell as Bakura's spirit fled Atem's body. The young Pharaoh smiled back at Taimat. He held the dragon's wrist with both hands and looked her in the eye as he cried in happiness and pain.

"Thank you Taimat. You saved Egypt again. This is my dying wish."

"Atem… No…"

"Please, tell Mana I love her. Raise Imhotep like you raised me. Tell Seto that he is the Pharaoh now. Tell the others how wonderful my life was because of them. And please, Taimat, please break my Puzzle and bury it with me." The light in Atem's eyes faded. "I shall see you again, my dearest friend, in another life…"

Atem exhaled his last breath and was still. Taimat removed her paw from his body and cradled the dead king in her arms, sobbing all the while. "Atem… My little Atem… My boy… I am so sorry… I had hoped it would never have to end like this… Why did it all come down to this?... Oh my poor, poor baby, Atem…"

Around her the zombies screamed and crumbled, their dust scattered by the wind. Sun Dragon, Slifer, and Obelisk landed beside their mourning sister. The three great gods shed tears of their own for the fallen king. Osiris, Horus, Sobek, Hathor, Isis, Seth, Sekhmet, Bastet, and Thoth joined them in mourning. A single white feather drifted down and landed on Atem's brow. Ma'at, the Goddess of Truth, stood gracefully over Taimat, her feathered wings outstretched. She looked sadly at the dragon.

"Dearest sister," Ma'at said, her voice like the wind, "it pains me to see such a fine king go. I am deeply saddened by this tragic loss of a friend. As an offering for a second chance, I shall seal Atem's shattered spirit within the pieces of the Puzzle. Only his incarnation can solve the mystery of the Millennium Puzzle. This is my final blessing as Atem's goddess."


	9. Chapter 9

**A New Life**

Taimat led the procession of mourners to Atem's tomb. The dragon carried the sarcophagus on her back and a box containing the Puzzle in her paws. She halted at the tomb entrance and bowed. She alone entered to take the king to his final resting place.

…

"There never was a king more fair and caring than Atem," Taimat said. "He had the purest heart and clearest mind of any other man in the world. His sacrifice was not in vain, for he stopped the revival of the Thief King. That last heroic act saved us all. The memory of Atem will last for all eternity and even beyond. Though it pains me to say so, it is time for a new king to take the throne. He was chosen by Atem himself to lead our country to a new future." She paused. "Citizens of Egypt, may I present to you your new king. Hail Seto!"

"Hail Seto, the new king!"

Taimat stepped back and allowed Seto to come forth. He looked out over the people gathered before him and took a deep breath to calm his nerves. "It is with a heavy heart that I must take the throne. I had never hoped to become Pharaoh. I had hoped I would spend the rest of my life as a Priest and not the Pharaoh. But I will do my best to lead Egypt to a new future as Pharaoh."

Taimat smiled. "It is a new life!"

**It may have been tragic but Atem's death saved the people of Egypt. Seto is the Pharaoh and Egypt is peaceful once again. Let's see how long it'll last **_**this time**_**. DUN-dun-DUUUN!**


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